Federal ban on marijuana has created ‘regulatory vacuum’ says new study

U.S. medical marijuana laws are like snowflakes — no two state regulatory regimes are exactly alike.

A “regulatory vacuum” has resulted from marijuana’s Schedule I status, according to a new study conducted by Temple University researchers. While the resulting “patchwork of regulatory strategies” is hindering full understanding of the potential benefits and harms of cannabis for medical uses, it could provide a chance to redefine federal oversight of research efforts, according to the study.

“If we’re serious about marijuana as a therapy, as a drug, if we mean it’s medicine, then we need to do research on it. We need to do trials,” said Scott Burris, director of Temple’s Center for Public Health Law Research. “Until the federal government drops it from Schedule I, we’re going to be (researching) this with our scientific and regulatory hands tied behind our back.”